Means for driving suspended structures, such as sifters.



H. W. GLADHILL. MEANS FOR DRIVING SUSPENDED STRUCTURES, SUCH AS SIFTERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.1,1910.

1,039,5 14. Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

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H. W. GLADHILL. MEANS FOR DRIVING SUSPENDED STRUCTURES, SUCH AS SIFTERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1. 1910.

1 ,039,5 14. Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

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APPLICATION FILED MAR.1, 1910.

Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFIOE.

HARVEY W. GLADI-IILL, OF CHAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

MEANS FOR DRIVING SUSPENDED STRUCTURES, SUCH AS SIFTERS.

T 0 all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, HARVEY IV. GLAD- HILL, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Means for Driving Suspended Structures, such as Sifters, of which the following is a specifi cation.

My invention relates to certain improvements in means for driving suspended structures such as sifters used in milling for the purpose of sieving, separating, scalping and bolting.

The invention is particularly intended for use in flour mills.

One object of the invention is to provide a suspended sifter with means for driving the same from the base so that the mecha nism will run smoothly without jarring the building to any appreciable extent, even if the floor of the building is uneven or the parts not properly set up.

Another object of the invention is to construct the mechanism so that the driving shaft will carry the combined weight of the crank shaft and the balance weight; the sieve being independently suspended.

A further object of the invention is to provide a suspended Sifter having a central chamber, with means for driving the same extending from the base up into the chamher.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a balance weight, which is mounted on the crank shaft.

1n the accompanying drawingsz-Figure 1, is a side view of my improved siftcr; Fig. 2, is a sectional plan view on the line 2-2. Fig. 1; Fig. 3, is a sectional elevation on the line 33, Fig. 2, Fig. 4, is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4-4, Fig. 3, Fig. 5, is a detached perspective view of the parts of the flexible coupling, and Fig. 6, is an enlarged view of the driving mechanism and flexible coupling, showing the ball bearing for the crank shaft.

Referring to the drawings, A is the sieve case composed of a multiplicity of sections B, four, in the present instance, which are arranged in such a manner as to provide an open center C for the crank shaft and its counter weight. These sieve frames are made quadrangular and are attached to each other at the corners, as shown in Fig. 2. In each one of these frames are a series of sieves of the ordinary construction and. ar-

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 1, 1910.

Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

Serial No. 546,609.

ranged in any particular manner so as to properly bolt or separate the material passingthrough the apparatus. At the corner of the sieve casing are brackets E to which are attached a series of rods 0 connectedto frames E secured to the ceiling of a room or other support. It will be noticed that these rods form a semicircle at each corner and so support the sieve case that it is free to move in all directions.

I) is a base in which is a vertical driving shaft F; having a cup-shaped head F carrying a hollow pulley F in the present instance.

(I is a step bearing for the shaft, preferably made of two plates with balls between them, although this hearing may be made in any desired manner, without departing from the essential features of the invention. 1

A lubricating device, as shown at G, is so connected to the base that it will feed lubricant at all times to the shaft. Preferably located at the upper end of the base D is a ball. bearing d for the shaft F, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

The special construction and arrangement of the bearings for the vertical shaft form the subject of a separate application filed by me on the tenth day of August, 1911, under Serial No. 643,293.

My improved sifter is of the fixed type, I

but in place of having a continuous shaft, which acts as the driving shaft, as well as the crank shaft, I make the shaft in two sectionsone section being the driving section and the other section the crank section; pivotally connecting the two by a ball and socket joint, so that the lower end of the crank shaft will always be in line with the driving shaft.

Mounted in the cup-shaped head F is a block I, having arms 2', which are free to slide in cavities in the cup. The block I has a quadrangular opening 2" in which fits the lower end of the crank shaft N. This crank shaft has a limited movement in a direction atright angles to the movement of the block I, and both the block and the crank shaft turn with the main shaft F butare free to tilt in their bearings to a limited extent.

In order to retain the lower end of the crank shaft in line with the center of the driving shaft F, I provide the crank shaft, in the present instance, with a ball 11, which fits in a socket in a block 7 at the end of the shaft F, so that while there is no direct driving connection between the driving shaft and the crank shaft they are held in line and the driving is done through the cup-shaped head F and block I. By this construction, the crank shaft and main shaft can be set out of line with each other, and the crank shaft will be properly driven from the main shaft without causing a jar or tremor to the building in which the machine is located.

The crank shaft N, in the present instance, has two cranks n and on the shaft between these two cranks is mounted a balance weight M, clamped to the shaft so that it will turn with it. This balance weight in the present instance is held from moving vertically by the cranks of the shaft and is preferably located mid-way between the top and bottom of the sieve case.

PP. are spiders extending diagonally across the opening C in the case A and are secured at the corners of the case as shown in Fig. 2. In each spider is a box 39 for the cranks n of the shaft N.

It will be noticed that the cranks are somewhat longer than the boxes. By this construction the boxes are vertically free of the shaft enabling the shaft to support the crank while the case is supported entirely by the suspension rods 6. In place of the plain boxes as shown in Fig. 2, the boxes may be made, as shown in Fig. 6, having a ball bearing p consisting of two ringsone of greater diameter than the other, and each ring has a ball race formed therein, with a series of balls mounted between the rings. This construction may be used in large sifters, but in small machines the construction shown in Fig. 3 may be used.

Below the upper end of the ball bearing 72', Fig. 6, is a head f, inwhich is mounted a packing ring p so that the oil or other lubricant placed in the ball case will be prevented by the packing from running down the shaft.

The particular construction of ball bearings for the crank shaft forms the subject of a separate application filed on the tenth day of August, 1911, under Serial No. 643,292.

It will be seen that 1 form, in the present instance, a perfectly square sieve structure A, with a square well or opening in the center and that the structure is freely sus pended by rods from a suitable support. The sieve cases are arranged in the peculiar manner illustrated in Fig. 2; being shaped as shown, and the end of one sieve case abuts against the side of another sieve case at right angles to form the opening at the center of the structure.

By arranging the sieve structure in this manner, I am enabled to economize the space which the machine occupies and at the same time provide an extended sieving or bolting surface. In the balance weight M are pockets m in which weights may be inserted so as to properly balance the apparatus.

By the above construction, it will be seen that I provide a sifter in which the case is given a definite movement around a' line through the main shaft and there will be comparatively little jar or vibration of the building due to the fact that while the lower end of the crank shaft is held absolutely in line with the center of the driving shaft, its upper end is free to move qut of line and to accommodate itself to any unevenness in the floor of the building, or the unevenness due to the setting up of one part of the apparatus out of line with another art.

The ball and socket connection keeps the end of the crank shaft parallel with the center of the driving shaft, but the means through which the crank shaft is driven from the driving shaft is flexible so as to allow the crank shaft to tilt, if necessary.

I use a flexible driving connection between the two as described above. The balance weight is on the crank shaft andthere is no tendency for the driving shaft to bind in its bearings, nor the cranks to bind in their bearings due to the overhanging of the weight, if the driving shaft should becom out of line, due to the sagging of the floor or other inequalities. Thus the even drive of the sieve casing is assured without cutting the bearings or unevenly jarring the building.

The driving shaft, as remarked above, supports the crank shaft, but the crank shaft will be free, so that the vibration of the case will not be transmitted to the driving shaft and its bearings and to the build ing in which the machine is mounted. As the lower end of the crank shaft is held in alinement with the main shaft by the ball and socket joint, the throw of the sieve case, due to the rotation of the crank shaft is through an unvariable path.

I claim- 1. The combination of a suspended structure; a base; a vertical shaft in the base, said structure having a central chamber; a crank shaft in said chamber and resting on the driving shaft; a flexible connection between the driving shaft and the crank shaft; and bearings carried by the suspended structure in which the cranks of the said crank shaft are mounted.

2. The combination of a suspended structure; a base; a vertical driving shaft in the base, said structure having a central chamber; a crank shaft in said chamber and resting on the driving shaft; a flexible connection between the driving shaft and the crank shaft; and bearings carried by the structure in which the cranks of the crank shaft are mounted; with a balance weight on the crank shaft within the central chamber.

3. The combination of a suspended structure having an open center; a base; a vertical driving shaft; a crank shaft within the open center of the structure; a ball and socket support for the crank shaft in line with the center of the driving shaft; aflexible connection between the drivin shaft and the crank shaft; bearings carrie b the structure for the reception of the era s of the crank shaft; and a balance weighton the crank shaft.

4. The combination of a suspended structure; a bearing located below the structure; a driving shaft mounted in the bearing; a crank shaft located above the driving shaft; means for holding the lower end in" alinement therewith; a flexible driving connection. at the point between the driving shaft and the crank shaft; and bearin on the suspended structure for the cran s of the said crank shaft.

5. The combination of a suspended structure; a bearing located below the structure and independent thereof; a vertical drivin shaft mounted in said bearing; a erav shaft; aball and socket connection between the crank shaft and the vertical driving shaft so that the lower end of the cran shaft will always be in line with the driving shaft;'a flexible driving connection between the driving shaft and the crank shaft; and bearings carried by the structure for the cranks of the crank shaft.

6. The combination of a suspended structure; a bearing mounted under the structure but independent thereof; a vertical driving shaft mounted in said hearing; a crank shaft located above the bearin and surrounded by the structure; a bal and socket connection whereby the lower end of the crank shaft is held in alinement with the driving shaft; a flexible driving connection between the driving shaft an the crank shaft; and a balance weight carried by the crank shaft.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARVEY W. GLADHILL.

Witnesses:

WM. E. SHUPE, Wu. A. Bum. 

